Janet Reno on War & Peace

Former Attorney General; Democratic Challenger FL Governor

Terrorism focus: protect air transportation; limit funding

The U.S. proposed steps to stop terrorism before it happens and to respond more effectively:

Measures to protect mass transportation: Implement tough standards for bomb detection and tighter security at airports. We agreed to standards for more
complete and accurate passenger and cargo manifests, “terrorist-proof” vehicle identification numbers, and new methods for tracing explosives.

Experts meet to draft a terrorist bombing treaty.

Develop means of lawful government access to
scrambled communications by terrorists.

Call on all parties to the biological weapons convention to make it a crime for individuals to use or possess biological weapons.

Prevent terrorist fund-raising; to promote cooperation in controlling
borders; to urge nations to impose severe sentences and prevent abuse of political asylum by terrorists.

This conference has shown us that terrorism must be every nation’s concern and that we stand united in our desire to defeat it.

Source: Ministerial Meeting on Terrorism in Paris
Aug 30, 1996

Don't get hysterical about Islamic fundamentalism

As stories of the larger New York bombing conspiracy [by the blind cleric Abdel Rahman filled the press, Reno was asked if she saw a danger that Americans would get hysterical about Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism. "I am trying not to be hysterical,
and I know the media are going to join in a responsible effort to make sure we are not hysterical." She added that increasingly sophisticated technology makes every nation vulnerable to terrorism, and "we've got to take precautions against it."